Retractable clasp for a pen or the like

ABSTRACT

Writing instrument carries clasp which is spring biased from a projecting position toward a retracted position. The clasp has an axially elongated head the sides of which are guided as the clasp is retracted. Push-button means act axially on a ramp which engages said head to project the clasp.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,882,572 Hocq May 13, 1975 [54] RETRACTABLE CLASP FOR A PEN OR THE 2,237,155 4/1941 Malis 24/1 1 S LIKE 2,427,069 9/1947 Randolph.... 401/104 2,583,142 l/1952 Frentzel 24/Il S X [75] Inventor: Robert Hocq, Boulogne, ance 3,101,075 8/1963 Johmann 24/11 8 x [73] Assignee: Interlight, Fribourg, Switzerland Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin [22] Flled June 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brisebois & Kruger 21 App]. No.: 481,880

30 Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT June 26, 1973 France ..73.23252 Writing instrument rries clasp which is spring biased y from a projecting position toward a retracted position. [52] U.S. C1. 24/11 S The clasp has an xi lly elongated head the sides of 51 1m. (:1 B43k 25/00 which are guided as the Clasp is retracted Push-button [58] Field of Search 24/3 J, 3 1., 11 R, 11 FE, means act axially on a ramp which engages Said head 24/11 8; 401/103, 104, 106 to p i the Clasp- [56] References Cited 19 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,720,471 7/1929 Fritsch 24/11 8 75 14 E i I I 10 g g ,5

PATENIEUHAY 1 319. 5 3 882.572

SHEET 20F 4 a 3 .WW i M H SHEEI h 0F 4 RETRACTABLE CLASP FOR A PEN OR THE LIKE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a writing instrument or analogous device comprising a retractable clasp for attaching it to a coat pocket or the like.

The term writing instrument is intended to include any instrument for manually writing and especially a fountain pen, ball point pen, or pencil, comprising a retractable clasp which may be withdrawn into either the cap or the body of the instrument.

The term analogous device is intended to cover any object comprising a clasp attaching it to the pocket or clothing or a belt, such for example as a miniaturized flashlight.

Known writing instruments having a retractable clasp may be generally divided into two categories.

The instruments in one of these categories have a retractable writing point and a retractable clasp mounted in the body of the instrument, actuating means being provided to project the writing point and retract the clasp and vice versa.

ln these instruments the clasp, and conversely the writing point, travel between two lateral positions, in

one of which they are projected and the other retracted. ln instruments of this type the clasp in the projected position and then operates as a stationary clasp. That is to say, it depends solely on its own elasticity, which leads to various inconveniences.

In particular, the clasp is poorly adapted to attach the instrument to pockets having different thicknesses of material, and especially those made of very thin material, and the necessity of making the clasp highly elastic substantially diminishes the resistance which it is impossible to impart thereto and leads to risks of deterioration due to the application of excessive force.

The other writing instruments having a retractable clasp which have heretofore been proposed have comprised a clasp which was retracted, for example, into the cap of the instrument said clasp being constantly biased toward its retracted position by resilient means so that the grip of the clasp against the material of the pocket results principally from the action of this resilient means. This substantially facilitates the adaptation of the clasp to pockets made from materials of different thicknesses.

However, the proposals which have already been made relative to such writing instruments have not resulted in the industrial production of instruments of this type, especiallly because the user is obliged to directly actuate the clasp to bring it into its projected position while simultaneously attaching the instrument to the pocket which requires a clasp adapted to move in a complex manner, which is difficult to manufacture.

In order to overcome this disadvantage it has already been suggested that the clasp be provided with a projection which emerges either at the end of the instrument or at the side of the instrument opposite that of the clasp, which projection the user may actuate against the resistance of a resilient spring. These arrangements have not, however, given practical satisfaction. In effect, the arrangement in which a part of the clasp projects outside the cap on the other side from the clasp necessitates an unattractive exterior projection from the assembled instrument which has exactly the same disadvantages which the provision of a retractable clasp is intended to avoid.

The arrangement of a projecting part of the clasp at the upper instrument, while overcoming this disadvantage, necessitates a deformable clasp of a complex shape which makes it difficult to effectively guide the clasp. Moreover the small path of travel possible for this projecting part prevents the use of desirable retracting means having a certain progressive effect in response to a constant retracting force.

It has already been suggested that these disadvantages be overcome by providing a pushbutton which is independent of the clasp, axially movable and provided with a ramp which presses laterally against a curved end of the clasp which extends into the cap, with a leaf spring acting on this end to bias the clasp toward its retracted position. This solution, however, results in poor guiding of the clasp and a substantial risk of jamming the curved part of the clasp, especially when, due to various external causes, the clasps do not remain strictly parallel to the axis of the instrument.

The present invention proposes to overcome these disadvantages by providing a writing instrument or analogous device having a retractable clasp of the type in which the clasp is biased into its retracted position to insure effective gripping when the instrument is carried in a pocket, and in which the clasp is retracted when the instrument is ready to write, and has for its object to provide the user with easily operated means for controlling the movement of the clasp with an ex= tremely even force, which may even by constant, and which imparts a durability to the clasp which protects it from deterioration.

It is an object of the invention to provide a writing instrument or the like having a clasp which is movable with respect to a wall, for example, the wall of the cap or body of a writing instrument, between a retracted position within a recess in the wall and a projecting position, and exerts a gripping pressure provided by retracting means, a push-button independent of the clasp which is axially movable to control the movement of the clasp through an inclined ramp cooperating with a head of the clasp which slides transversely of the instrument. The instrument is characterized by the fact that said head has an axial thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the clasp, at least one of the transverse surfaces of said head being guided by a guide surface inside the writing instrument extending along substantially the entire path of travel of the head.

Thus, in an advantageous manner, the head of the clasp remains perfectly guided throughout its path of travel, said head having preferably a generally parallelopipedic shape with a lower face cooperating with a transverse guide surface extending substantially across the entire section of the instrument and two parallel axial faces guided by two guide surfaces perpendicular to the first guide surface and also extending over the entire useful path of travel of the head.

The different guide surfaces may be advantageously provided by a supporting member lodged in the body of the writing instrument or its cap.

The pressure of the retracting means on the sliding head of the clasp is preferably exerted in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the head of the clasp slides.

The sliding push-button is preferably mounted at the end of the body of the writing instrument or the cap in which the clasp is mounted, and in a preferred embodiment this push-button cooperates with the head by means of an inclined ramp which is inclined as much with respect to the direction of movement of the pushbutton as with respect to the direction in which the head of the clasp slides. This ramp may advantageously cooperate with a roller, the ramp being for example integral with the push-button and the roller attached to the head of the clasp. Advantageously, the shape of the ramp may be arcuate so as to insure that a constant reaction force is exerted by the clasp in response to the action of a resilient retracting means. This latter may advantageously comprise a spring having one arm which acts on the head of the clasp while the other is urged against a suitable surface of the cap or body of the writing instrument. This spring may advantageously be provided with central turns in order to permit a more uniform force to be exerted. In a particularly advantageous form of the invention the pin supporting the roller on the head of the clasp projects on opposite sides of the head of the clasp and the retracting apparatus comprises two parallel springs acting respectively on the two projecting ends of this pin.

Preferably, the supporting member is introduced through the end upper orifice of the cap or body of the writing instrument and is held inside it by a lower member bearing against an abutment fixed to the body of the writing instrument or its cap, and constituted for example by a portion left intact beneath the slot in which the clasp retracts, said lower member being attached to the supporting member by a screw.

When this lower member is carried by the cap it may advantageously be provided in the formof clip means receiving theh writing point of the writing instrument and preferably provided with projections cooperating with a neck in the point of the writing instrument in order to insure the axial support of the cap on the body of the writing instrument.

In one particular embodiment an upper member is provided to guide the assembly comprising the pushbutton and the ramp, said upper member being provided with an inner recess affording access to the ramp by the head of the clasp, with two lateral tabs receiving the ends of a pin supporting at least one spring and itself seated in the mounting member, so that the upper member is thus attached to the mounting member.

This member may advantageously carry, along the wall of the writing instrument opposite the head of the clasp, a sliding plate, of tempered steel, for example along with the push-button ramp assembly is slidable, in order to protect the wall itself against the substantial forces capable of being communicated thereto by said assembly.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear from a reading of the following description, given purely by way of illustration and example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the writing instrument according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section taken through the cap of the writing instrument in a plane passing substantially through the axis of the roller;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cap taken in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the roller and passing through the roller;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the clasp in its projected position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 isa sectional view showing the connection be-. tween the cap and body of the writing instrument in the same plane as FIG. 3;

FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a view similar .to FIG. 5, but showing an other embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view of the embodiment of FIG. .8, similar;

to FIG. 1 in which the clasp is omitted for reasons of clarity. The writing instrument illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a body 1 surmounted by a cap 2 with a retractable clasp 3. The body 1 of the writing instrument like. I

the cap 2 consists principally of a hollow cylinder having a substantially oval section.. i

The clasp 3 may be retracted into the cap 2 through a slot 4. The slot 4 is interrupted by a part 5 of the. cy-. lindrical wall 2 which has not been cutaway but simply cut back a certain distance into the wall. i i I Inside the cap is a supporting member 6 having a thinner central part 6a which terminates in' two vertical. tabs 6b defining therebetween the edges of a horizontal guide surface 6c. As seen on FIG. 4, .each' tab 612 is provided with an elongated horizontal notch, the upper part of which is defined by a part 6d which is shortened in the horizontal direction with respect to the remainder of the tab 6d. The supporting member 6 is supally when the cap is mounted on the body LDuring its mounting the lower member or clip 7, introduced through the lower part of the cap 2 comes into abut-.

merit against the part 5 which prevents it from moving further upward. A screw 9 connects the members 6and 7 with each other through a deformable take-up sealing ring 10. i

In the upper part of the cap l is an upper member 11 i having a central recess 11a and two lateral tabs llb. As

shown on FIG. 5, each tab defines a vertical slot 11c, the edges of which are resiliently deformable, thus permitting the reception in .each slot .of one end of a horizontal pin 12, the central part .of which passes f through a corresponding orifice in the part6a of the supporting member 6. In this manner the member 11 is prevented from moving axially relative tothemember 6. The group of members 6, 7, 11 are also held I I against any lateral displacement .by their external shapes which cooperate with the internal cylindrical contour of the cap.

The upper part of the member 11 receives a sliding I push-button .13 having the same cylindrical shape and diameter as the cap 2 and which slides along the pe-- riphery of the member 11. A decorative ring .14. attached to the cap prevents anyone from seeing the sep aration between the cylindrical surface ofthe push-- button 13 and the remainder of the cap 2. Push-button 13, which is urgedaway from the member 11 by a spring 15 is attached by a screw 16to a cam 17 guided in the orifice Ila of the member l1.This cam 17 has at its lower end a ramp 18 having a second degree curvature. Consequently, when the push-button is pressed i w it is driven vertically downward and the ramp l8 descends in a vertical translational movement, the assembly comprising the cam and the push-button being l'e sil- 7 FIG. 7 is a view of this connection in the planeof iently biased upward by the spring when the pressure is relieved.

The clasp 3 had a head 3a which is relatively thick in a vertical direction. This head is solid in the part nearest the body of the clasp 3 (as shown in FIG. 3) and has, on the contrary, two vertical tabs 3b so that, in the retracted position of the clasp shown in Flg. 3, the head extends from the right, that is to say from the clasp 3 to the vicinity of the left part of the cap 2.

A pin 19 is mounted in the two tabs 3b by passing it through corresponding orifices in these tabs so that its ends project beyond these tabs as shown in FIG. 2. In the central part, that is to say, inside the space left free between the two tabs 3b, is a rotary roller 20 cooperating with the ramp 18 carried by the cam 17, the thick ness of which in the part carrying the ramp 18 is sufficiently small to permit it to penetrate into the space between the tabs 31).

Two springs 21 are wound on the two parts of the pin 17 positioned between the member 6 and the tabs 11c. Their shorter arms bear against a flange 6e of the member 6 and their longer arms against the projecting ends of the pin 19, said ends being provided with two necks facilitating the connection between the springs and these ends.

When, beginning with the retracted position shown on FIGS. 2 and 3, the user presses vertically on the cap 13 he causes the ramp 18 to descend in a vertical sliding movement against the resistance of the spring 15. In this sliding movement the ramp l8 acts on the roller 20 and presses outwardly the head 3a of the clasp which is laterally guided between the inner faces of the tabs 6b of the supporting member 6 and, at its lower end, by the surface 6c on which the head 3a and the lower parts of the tabs 3b of this head bear.

At its upper end the head 3a is guided by the bottom 4a of the slot 4, an abutment 3c being provided at the top of each tab 3b to prevent, by contact between the abutment 3c and the end 4a of the notch, further outward movement of the head 3a from the cap. During the descending movement of the push-button 13 the lateral sliding movement outwardly of the head 3a separates the clasp 3 from the cap and compresses the springs 21.

By suitably selecting the curved form of the ramp 18 it is possible, despite the increasing tension of the springs 21, to maintain the pressure required to overcome these springs constant, when the push-button 13 is depressed so that the actuation of the push-button requires a substantially constant force to be exerted by the user.

At the end of the pressure the clasp 3 is completely projected into the position shown on FIG. 4. In this position, the user may then attach the cap carrying the body 1 of the instrument to a pocket or the like. He may, if necessary, utilize the elasticity of the clasp with respect to the head 3a. If the user tries to separate the clasp from the cap by force applied to the lower part of the clasp, the head 3a tends to reverse but because of the very large bearing surface of the head against the surface 60, no deterioration will appear on the respective guiding surfaces of the head 3 and the supporting member 6.

When the user releases the pressure on the pushbutton 13 the springs 21 mounted on the two ends of the pin 19 return the head 3 by sliding it transversely inside the cap, while the push-button 13 is urged downwardly with the ramp 18 by the spring 15.

If no obstacle is interposed between the clasp 3 and the cap 1 the springs 21 bring the head into the initial position shown on FIG. 3. If, on the contrary, an obstacle, such as a thickness of cloth, is present, this obstacle is gripped between the clasp 3 and the cap 7 by the springs 21 so that the attachment is assured even in the case of very thin cloth.

To mount the device in the cap 2 the push-button 13 and cam 17 are first connected together by the screw 16 on opposite sides of the guide member 11. The member 11 is then attached to the member 6 by causing the tabs 11b to elastically embrace the ends of the pin 12 which already carries the two springs 21. The assembly constructed in this manner is then introduced through the upper part of the cap until a slight peripheral shoulder on the member 11 which abuts against the upper end of the cylindrical wall of the cap 2 as shown in FIG. 2. A hook-shaped member is then introduced into the upper part of the slot 4 so that its hooks catch over the springs 21 to hold these springs and thus permit introduction of the head 3a of the clasp through the slot 4, after which the springs are released so that they come to bear on the ends of the pin 19 as shown in the drawings.

The member 7 is then introduced through the bottom of the cap and the members 6 and 7, with a sealing ring 10 therebetween, are fastened together by the screw 9.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated on FIG. 8, and on FIG. 9, in which the clasp has not been shown for reasons of clarity.

In this embodiment the upper member 11 has a vertical slot llc in the center of its lateral tabs llb, the elastically deformable edges of this slot defining a notch which receives one end of a horizontal pin 12', the section of which is, in this case, square. A central part of the pin 12 passes through a corresponding orifice part 6a in a supporting member 6. It will be seen, moreover, that the member 11 has a collar ll'd which abuts against the upper end of the body of the writing member 2. Otherwise the member 11 is substantially identical to the member 11.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 9, it will be seen that this is a cross-section analogous to section VV in which the left-hand tab llb has been eliminated to show a lateral view of the supporting member 6' as well as the push-button and cam assembly. Preferably the push-button 13 is made in a single piece of cylindrical shape attached to a subjacent part 13a having the properties of an elastic clip so that the cylindrical member 13 may be located in place by simply clipping it there.

As may be seen in FIG. 9, the inner surface of the part of the wall 2 along which the ramp 18 slides is covered by a steel plate 22 held in place by the member 11 by means not shown. It is this surface which provides the greater part of the reactive force so that the steel plate 22 on which the ramp slides prevents the wall 2 from being subjected to any excessive force.

The supporting member 6' has an upper part comprising two lateral tabs 6'b on opposite sides of a bottom part 6c which is also preferably reinforced by a steel plate (not shown). FIG. 9 shows that each tab 6'b has a higher part on the side from which the clasp projects, and that the slot in the tab has been eliminated and replaced by a decrease in the height of the major part of the tab.

On each of its two lateral faces, one of which is shown on FIG. 9, the member 6 has a reinforcement 6'f on which the turns of a spring 21' are seated. The longest branch of this spring, 21a, extends the length of the lateral face of the member 6' to a point beyond the upper part of the corresponding tab 6); so as to bear on the end of the pin 19 (shown in broken lines on FIG. 9). The arm 21'!) is immobilized in a mating part of the reinforcement 6'f. Preferably the lateral surface of the member 6 has a second reinforcement which is smaller than the reinforcement 6'f, and the arm 2la moves in this second reinforcement so that the spring 21 does not project beyond the limits of the member 6'. I

While one specific embodiment of the invention has been described, this has been purely by way of illustration and example, and may be modified as to detail without thereby departing from the basic principles of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a portable instrument having a side-wall comprising a clasp which is movable with respect to said wall between a first position received within a recess in said wall and a second projecting position, resilient means biasing the clasp toward the portable instrument, a push-button separate from the clasp and axially movable to actuate an inclined ramp within said instrument, a head on the clasp which is mounted to cooperate with said ramp and slide transversely with respect to the wall of the instrument, the improvement according to which said head has an axial thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the clasp and a surface which engages guiding means contained inside the instrument and extending substantially the full length of the paths of travel of said head.

2. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the guiding means for the head of said clasp comprises at its lower part a transverse surface positioned inside the wall and at its upper part the bottom of the opening in the wall, and said head has an abutment limiting its projection outside the wall.

3. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said head carries a rotatably mounted roller which cooperates with said ramp.

4. Instrument as claimed in claim 1, in which said 7 head has a substantially parallelopipedic shape and said guiding means comprises two surfaces inside the body of the writing instrument positioned to guide two lateral faces of said head.

5. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the section of said ramp is a second degree curve so that a constant force exerted on the push-button suffices to project the head to its projecting position.

6. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said push-button is biased toward an inoperative position by resilient means.

7. Instrument as claimed in claim I in which said clasp head carries two parallel tabs supporting a pin on which said roller is mounted, said roller being positioned between said tabs, the thickness of the ramp 10. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said I wall is cylindrical and contains a supporting member having a guide surface for the lower part ofthe head of the clasp, said mounting member being attached to guide means forthe push-buttonand ramp and also carrying catch and abutment means engaging said resilient means.

11. Instrument as claimed in claim If) in which the means for guiding the push-button and ramp comprises an upper part having two tabs, each equipped with, an elastically deformable notch, with each notch receiving one of the projecting ends of a pin fixed to said supporting member and carrying saidresilient means.

12. Instrument as claimed in claim 11 in which the push-button has a lateral wall slidable on the periphery of said upper part and positioned in alignment with the wall of said instrument.

13. Writing instrument as claimed in claim 12 com prising a decorative ring mounted on its wall and convering the space between the wall of the instrument and the lateral wall of the push-button.

14. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which said supporting member comprises at its upper end two parallel tabs between which the clasp head slides, the inner surfaces of said tabs serving to guide the lateral surfaces of said head.

15. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which said supporting member is carried by a lower part bearing against an abutment on the wall and attached to the supporting member by fastening means.

16. Instrument as claimed in claim 15 in which said abutment means is a bar across the orifice receiving the clasp, said bar being insert toward the inside. of the wall.

17. Instrument as claimed inclaim 10in whichis aid clasp is carried by a cap and in which said lower part consists of an elastic clamp constituting resilient attachment means for a writing point.

18. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 which comprises a reinforcing plate positioned substantially opposite said head and along which said push-button and ramp slide. I

19. Writing instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the clasp is carried by a cap for said instrument. 

1. In a portable instrument having a side-wall comprising a clasp which is movable with respect to said wall between a first position received within a recess in said wall and a second projecting position, resilient means biasing the clasp toward the portable instrument, a push-button separate from the clasp and axially movable to actuate an inclined ramp within said instrument, a head on the clasp which is mounted to cooperate with said ramp and slide transversely with respect to the wall of the instrument, the improvement according to which said head has an axial thickness substantially greater than the thickness of the clasp and a surface which engages guiding means contained inside the instrument and extending substantially the full length of the paths of travel of said head.
 2. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the guiding means for the head of said clasp comprises at its lower part a transverse surface positioned inside the wall and at its upper part the bottom of the opening in the wall, and said head has an abutment limiting its projection outside the wall.
 3. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said head carries a rotatably mounted roller which cooperaTes with said ramp.
 4. Instrument as claimed in claim 1, in which said head has a substantially parallelopipedic shape and said guiding means comprises two surfaces inside the body of the writing instrument positioned to guide two lateral faces of said head.
 5. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the section of said ramp is a second degree curve so that a constant force exerted on the push-button suffices to project the head to its projecting position.
 6. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said push-button is biased toward an inoperative position by resilient means.
 7. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said clasp head carries two parallel tabs supporting a pin on which said roller is mounted, said roller being positioned between said tabs, the thickness of the ramp being less than that of the space separating said tabs.
 8. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the pin carrying the roller on the head of the clasp projects beyond said tabs on opposite sids of the head of the clasp, said projecting ends cooperating with two springs biasing the head of the clasp.
 9. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said resilient means comprises at least one coil spring.
 10. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which said wall is cylindrical and contains a supporting member having a guide surface for the lower part of the head of the clasp, said mounting member being attached to guide means for the push-button and ramp and also carrying catch and abutment means engaging said resilient means.
 11. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which the means for guiding the push-button and ramp comprises an upper part having two tabs, each equipped with an elastically deformable notch, with each notch receiving one of the projecting ends of a pin fixed to said supporting member and carrying said resilient means.
 12. Instrument as claimed in claim 11 in which the push-button has a lateral wall slidable on the periphery of said upper part and positioned in alignment with the wall of said instrument.
 13. Writing instrument as claimed in claim 12 comprising a decorative ring mounted on its wall and convering the space between the wall of the instrument and the lateral wall of the push-button.
 14. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which said supporting member comprises at its upper end two parallel tabs between which the clasp head slides, the inner surfaces of said tabs serving to guide the lateral surfaces of said head.
 15. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which said supporting member is carried by a lower part bearing against an abutment on the wall and attached to the supporting member by fastening means.
 16. Instrument as claimed in claim 15 in which said abutment means is a bar across the orifice receiving the clasp, said bar being insert toward the inside of the wall.
 17. Instrument as claimed in claim 10 in which said clasp is carried by a cap and in which said lower part consists of an elastic clamp constituting resilient attachment means for a writing point.
 18. Instrument as claimed in claim 1 which comprises a reinforcing plate positioned substantially opposite said head and along which said push-button and ramp slide.
 19. Writing instrument as claimed in claim 1 in which the clasp is carried by a cap for said instrument. 